Free birthday goods

It used to be that Denny's was the place to go for a free birthday meal. Nowadays, things are different and a lot more places offer free goodies. Because I'm cheap New Englandy and frugal, I recently spent my birthday graciously accepting all the gratis goods coming my way. Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts both offer free drinks. (Sign up on their websites and they'll send you a postcard for a free beverage). I took the opportunity to try the Salted Caramel Mocha at Starbucks. I'm not usually much for flavored coffee beverages, but it just sounded yummy, so why not?
No dramatic lead-in here: it was so good. The roasty taste of the espresso was balanced by the sweet buttery deliciousness of the caramel. Since it was my birthday, I opted for the whipped cream, which was topped with sticky caramel drizzle and-- you know it's coming-- a shake of sea salt. "Caffeine and salt?" you cry. "That's a heart attack in a cup!" Well, yes, it may be, but it was also pure yummy decadence. For a once-a-year splurge, it was worth every penny. Or in this case, it was TOTALLY worth the free coupon.
Next on the birthday party free goods roadtrip was a stop at Panera, which yielded a free pastry (in this case, a brownie) which was handed over to the Sugar Baby.

Since I was already at the mall, I headed over to the Godiva store where I cashed in on my monthly free chocolate. I chose a pumpkin cheesecake truffle. Had I been thinking more clearly, I would've chosen the pumpkin spice truffle, which has a chocolate shell, as opposed to the one with the white chocolate (or, in this case, orange-colored chocolate) shell. The filling was half pumpkiny cream and half cream cheesey cream. It was pretty tasty, but also pretty sweet. One was definitely sufficient to meet my daily recommended truffle intake.
I still have yet to cash in on my free bubble bath from Sephora and hibachi dinner at the local Japanese place. And I got a nice e-card from Mini Cooper, but alas, no free car.

Dove Barnyard Truffles: Extreme Cuteness!

I've been meaning for weeks to try making these adorable barnyard truffles created by the folks at Dove Chocolate Discoveries. They kindly sent me some chocolate to try out my mad candy-making skills, but I haven't had a free second. In any case, I wanted to post the recipe so you all can maybe try making these before Easter. I will get to mine soon, hopefully; maybe in time for the Sugar Baby's Easter party at school. My fave is the little lamb. For the recipe, go to the Dove Chocolate Discoveries Facebook page here. (PLEASE NOTE: updated link!)

Lindt & Wine: Say no more

Plastic Lockable Brick Man (non-TM) suggests a Lindt truffle for your after-dinner sweet

Back in the days (you know, the 20-something days when life was all wine, cigars and knowing everything about everything), we did a winery tour with friends. All I remember is that it was lots of fun and that, at one winery, the winemaker gave us each a little piece of dark chocolate to nibble with our red wine. He explained how they balanced each other out, how the bitterness in the chocolate brought out the fruit in the wine. It was a fantastic combination. Oh yes, those were the days.
That memory was spurred on by a new contest that Lindt is hosting. At LindtExcellence.com you can enter to win a wine tasting trip to California or lots of other prizes. The website also offers wine and chocolate pairing suggestions. The one suggestion that really sticks out to me is their Excellence with a Touch of Sea Salt paired with Riesling. Really? I would never have put those two together, so now I'm intrigued. I'll put it on my to-do list for this weekend.

The Best Candy of 2010 (and the Worst, and the Strangest)

Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. Looking back at 2010, I feel like it was kind of a low-key candy year. There weren't a lot of new candy releases, and there wasn't much that totally rocked my world. But, having said that, there were some definite highlights to the year.
Worst Candy of 2010
Let's get the negative stuff out of the way first. Unfortunately, it's usually pretty easy for me to pick the year's worst candy, and 2010 was no exception.The Sugar Baby got a nasty expired Chick-o-Stick and Cow Tale in his trick-or-treat bag, although I can't really claim that was the worst, since it had everything to do with the date and nothing to do with the product. So the winner (or loser, I suppose) is Haviland Wintergreen Mint Patty. I don't feel too bad saying that, since the product has since been discontinued. Their Orange Mint Patties, however, are delicious.

Most Unusual
The most unusual candy I tried this year was a Shiitake Mushroom Truffle. What was even stranger than the truffle was the post I wrote about it.

Other candies of note that I tried this year included:

Some more deliciousness from Q.bel (which was the Best Candy of 2009).

I took one for the team and sampled some Sorbee Sugar Free Chocolate.

There were near-riots in the house between me, Mr. Goodbar and No-Nuts over See's Easter Truffles.

I was excited to try Toblerone Fruit and Nut.
I loved the whole concept and taste of South 'n France Bon Bons (especially the coconut ones).

Wonka impressed me with their new bars, Marvels and fruit jellies.

While not my all-time favorite M&M flavor, the Pretzel ones were fun to try and a good option for dieters.

A company I'd never even heard of before-- DeMet's-- surprised me with their yummy caramel Treasures, and the fact that they're made just a few towns away from me.

Best new packaging goes to Crown Nuggets Creme & Liquor-Filled Caramels.
People
2010 was a year for personalities. The Sugar Baby introduced me to "Mr. Candy," an invisible (hopefully) character in his life. He came up in several conversations before fading away.

I made some new friends this year. Kendra from Ontario, I still owe you some chocolates! I haven't forgotten. You're the sweetest!

The Candy Professor brought some real street cred to the candy world.

I was so psyched to be able to interview April Winchell, a.k.a. Helen Killer from Regretsy, about her father's role as the Tootsie Pop Owl voice.
And someone actually wanted to interview me! I love Jen's blog, My Morning Chocolate.

A fun event for me was a conversation about candy that actually turned into a three-part news story.

And what a way to end the year. Yumster Philly sent me a photo of a cupcake that she created from my drawing of Mr. Candy Corn! How awesome is that?!

Birthdays

2010 was the year of the big 4-0 for me and lots of my friends. Candy buffets and gifts were plentiful.
There was also the Sugar Baby's 4th birthday which was a candy theme.
And now, the moment you've all been waiting for. What was the best candy of 2010? I've narrowed it down to the following:

Green & Black's Organic Milk Chocolate Peanut: caramelized peanuts with sea salt in creamy milk chocolate.
Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Nutty Bits: "a crunchy mix of almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, pistachios and sweet toffee. They're kettle cooked in small batches, then dipped in rich, dark chocolate and sprinkled with just a touch of Fleur de Sel, for a superbly sweet and slightly salty treat."
Ritter Sport Milk Chocolate with Strawberry Creme: Creamy, crunchy and tangy.
Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Covered Shortbread Stars: Lovely dark chocolate and crunchy cookies.
Trader Joe's Pound Plus Milk Chocolate: Seriously creamy, decadent milk chocolate.

Hmmm. Notice a trend here? Trader Joe's did a bang-up job this year in the confection department. I suppose I have to disqualify the chocolate stars, though, as they are really cookies. I loved the Ritter Sport Strawberry Creme, but I still prefer their Cornflake version, so that rules that one out. I think I have to say, based on taste, uniqueness and all-around good lovin', I'm going to choose Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Nutty Bits as the Best Candy of 2010. Would you believe I don't even have a picture? It just so happened that I tried these during a time when I was having camera woes. In any case, I would have preferred to choose a candy that is readily available throughout most of the U.S., so my apologies to you Yumsters who don't have a TJ's near you. Perhaps 2011 will be a more all-inclusive year.

Here's hoping that 2011 will be the sweetest year yet!

A Friend in Need ... Apparently is Me

First of all, several of you have asked me for the recipe for the giant Whoopie Pie. (I noticed no one asked me for the recipe for the Sugar Baby's cake.) It actually came from Wicked Whoopies; the Baroness brought it down from Maine as a Mother's Day present for Memaw. Do I even dare mention that she also brought a regular sized lemon one and an Orange Creamsicle one? There was no dearth of sweetness last weekend.
And speaking of Mother's Day ...
Do I have the most awesome friends or what? After the Sugar Baby's birthday party on Saturday, I hauled my tired butt upstairs and found this:
Signs created by my Partner-in-Crime (and encouraged, apparently, by my mom) that said: "Hear Ye, Hear Ye, Hear Ye... Today I am not a mother, wife or daughter. I am just me. Do not knock on the door. Do not ask what's for breakfast/lunch/dinner. The pediatrician's # is 555-5555. In case of emergency, call 911." There was also a sign on the Sugar Baby's door that said, "Go ask your father." But not only that. On my nightstand was this:
The chocolates were from Christopher Norman Chocolates and they are fabulous. One was mint, another was I'm guessing passion fruit, and I have two left. My PIC kept telling me about this chocolatier located off Wall Street where her husband works, but they had never gone there. (I just don't understand how people can pass by a chocolate shop and not even go in.) I checked out the website and I think I'll be making a trip there soon. I have to try their blue cheese truffles and their dark chocolate blood orange bar. So she bought me these chocolates and wine to savor for Mother's Day. I truly have the most fabulous friends in the world. Whoopie!!
Now I just need to get over the fact that people were in my bedroom which, quite frankly, at this point, needs a front loader to be cleaned.

Free Chocolate from Godiva

I think I officially have more store cards on my keychain than keys. Last month I added another one-- for Godiva. Their rewards program is free (unlike the Barnes & Noble one which I just don't understand) and is quite a good deal. When you sign up for the card, you get a free piece of Godiva every month. Considering their truffles average about $2 each, that's pretty cool. And, if you spend $10 or more, the next month you'll get a free gift. Last month I had to buy a present for someone, and today I went in to buy another present and claim my free chocolate and gift. Being all cynical, I figured the "gift" would be a coupon or something, but it was actually a two-piece box. For my free chocolate, I chose a coconut cream truffle, and while I was in the store, I tried a dark chocolate lemon something-or-other. It felt like Christmas!
Godiva gets a bad rap in chocosnob circles. Of course it's not the best chocolate and yes, it's owned by Hershey, but I enjoy it as much as most other upscale brands (and their packaging is nicer than say, Lindt). The coconut truffle was good; my only criticism is that it was milk chocolate rather than dark, which would've been a much better complement to the creamy coconut center.

See's Easter Candies: Go for the Truffles!

The See's Easter catalog arrived just in time the other day. I took a nap while the Sugar Baby sat in bed next to me and "read" it. Here's what I love about the See's catalog: it's very comforting as opposed to, say, the Vosges Haut Chocolat catalog which makes me feel like I'm standing in some funky New York bar all by myself wearing sweat pants. Does that make sense? I'm just not hip enough for bacon-flavored chocolate Easter eggs. I'm more of a purist. Anyhow.
I was offered some samples of their Easter offerings and here's what I have to report.

Assorted Decorated Eggs: these come in a package of six small eggs, two each of Vanilla Chip, Bordeaux (Brown Sugar buttercream) and Chocolate Butter. Each egg is about three decent bites big. I know this because Mr. Goodbar and I tried to evenly divide the eggs after the recent chocolate debacles in the House of Yum. These are the perfect size because they are most certainly rich. In fact, it was impossible to hold them for longer than a minute because they melted so quickly. My favorite was the Bordeaux. It reminded me of penuche fudge. I'm not sure which Mr. Goodbar preferred, but he obviously liked them all. At $5.40 for a box of six, these are a fun, affordable hostess gift (or perhaps a gift from the Easter Bunny).

The second thing I tried were Jelly Bird Eggs. These really intrigued me because they're unique: little jelly eggs coated in white nonpareils. The flavors (according to the catalog) are lime with orange peel, lemon with orange peel and raspberry preserves. Unfortunately, I'd never guess that by taste alone. I was expecting a big burst of citrus flavor, but instead it was more of a super sugary bland gumdrop. It's too bad, because they're so pretty.

The last thing I tried were their Springtime Truffles, little white chocolate squares with raspberry and lemon centers. I pulled these out from hiding when No-Nuts arrived back for spring break. That's when all hell broke loose. These truffles are big time yummy. The lemon is deliciously tart with flecks of real lemon zest and the raspberry ones are like biting into a chocolate-covered berry. There were five in the box, leaving the three of us to fight over the remaining two. They're still talking about the truffles even though they're long gone. I might have to order a few more boxes.

Check 'em out at www.sees.com.

Espresso Truffles and The Moral Decline of Mr. Goodbar

There's one rule in the House of Yum that everyone knows upon entering: eat any candy you like, but always save a taste for me. That's all I ask. Just a taste so I can inform you, dear Yumsters, of all the good, bad and just plain stupid candy out there. Sometimes it's not so important, with say, for example, a drugstore candy bar that I can go and buy another of. But other times, when it's a candy that's not as accessible, it's the Golden Rule of Yum. For example, this box of Gail Ambrosius dark chocolates I received this week. So imagine, if you will, my surprise at the following conversation I had today with Mr. Goodbar:

Mr. G: "Oh, I ate that truffle with the espresso bean on top."
Me: "What? And you didn't split it with me?"
Mr. G: "It was the verisimilitude of what a perfect chocolate truffle should be."
Me: "And you didn't save me a piece?"
Mr. G: "I ate half and was on my way to give you the other half." (Here he breaks into hysterics. It's so nice that he can amuse himself so easily.) "But then I ate another bite, so then I was bringing you a quarter, but then I ate that and turned around."
Nice, right? Then he had the gall to hand me a "commemorative" calendar from his place of employment.
"Here, have a calendar instead."
So here's Mr. Goodbar's review of Gail Ambrosius Dark Chocolates:
"Some were better than others, but in all of them, the flavors served to highlight the chocolate. I don't know what kind of chocolate she uses, but it's good."

(Very perceptive, Mr. G. The chocolate is single-origin from South and Central America and Hawaii.) I can speak for the Cointreau truffle. I love orange and chocolate, and this was no exception. The description on the enclosed chart says, "The dark boldness of Costa Rican chocolate is the perfect mate for this bright, happy fruit." I couldn't have said it better myself.

I was quite surprised by the Shiitake Mushroom truffle. Yep, you read that right. Here's what the brochure says:

"The warm earthiness of this 65% Peruvian chocolate combines with savory shiitake mushrooms in the ultimate expression of umami, the fifth taste sensation. Dried shiitakes, steeped with cream, create a mild, fragrant ganache. Bits of mushroom add a pleasantly chewy texture-- a deeply satisfying taste experience."

I agree. I was all set to hate it (you know I'm not fond of savory and sweet combinations), but it did in fact give that rich, umami taste which was a nice compliment to the bitter chocolate.

As for the calendar, well, the pictures are boooooorring. But the trivia factoids are actually kind of interesting.
As I was reading them, Mr. Goodbar said, "Did you know that in the 1800's in New York City there was a fire ..."
Yes, I just read it on February's page. While some insurance companies couldn't meet the catastrophic losses, "Eliphalet Terry, president of The Hartford, took every Hartford insurance policy on New York property, hired a sled and team of horses, and set off in a heavy snowstorm for New York where he announced that The Hartford would settle claims in full."

"That makes me feel good," said Mr. Goodbar. "If you've got to work somewhere, it's good to know they stand behind their promises." (Too bad his morals don't extend to truffle-sharing.)

And here's a real whopper:

"Mr. Lincoln, will you share your truffles?"
"Not until the north has won, Mr. Lee!"

"Abraham Lincoln and Robert E. Lee faced each other across the gulf that divided our nation during the Civil War. Despite their allegiance to different flags, both men chose The Hartford to insure their homes against fire damage."

I'm not sure that having this bit of trivia stuck in my head is as good as say, an espresso truffle, but what can you do? Maybe someday I'll go on Jeopardy and one of the categories will be Presidential Insurance Policies and hopefully not Espresso Truffles.

For more info, visit www.GailAmbrosius.com

That's a Wrap

It's time to totally wrap up 2009, so I thought I'd share some of my Christmas goodies with you. After trying See's Candies, I went to their website and was drooling over the different chocolates they have. I bought a box of Molasses Chips for my mom and a box of Awesome Peanut Brittle Bars for my dad. My parents generously shared. I wasn't so keen on the Molasses Chips (although my mom liked them), but the Peanut Brittle Bar was mighty tasty. A nice combination of salty peanuts, crunchy toffee and chocolate.I tried my hand at making Grandma Judy's Cashew Brittle, but I kind of burned it. It was still edible, though, and the Baron made his way through most of the tin. The Sugar Baby is working on the rest of it.
For the Necco Door Neighbor, who prefers salty snacks, I got some chocolate-covered potato chips. Oh, how I love those. I had to get them out of my house fast, lest I unwrap and eat them myself.
On December 23, I got a message from my father-in-law. "Could you pick up some chocolate drops for Shirley? You know, cream-filled chocolate drops? We can't find any here and I'd like to surprise her, so don't call back."
Yeah, uh, sure, except I had no idea what chocolate drops were.
I listened to the message a couple of times, hoping for more clues. Okay, they're chocolate. They're filled with cream. Maybe he was just talking about an assorted box of chocolate creams? I went to Munson's, where I worked in college, and bought a big box of chocolate-covered soft centers.When the in-laws arrived, I pulled F-I-L aside and said, "What the heck are chocolate drops?"
Turns out, he meant these:Yep. These candies that you see everywhere. Except they aren't everywhere. I checked the Zachary website, and they're supposedly available at all sorts of places, but I have yet to find them. What's up with that? I'm still on the hunt, so if anyone has any clues, let me know!
While I was at Munson's, I couldn't help but get the Sugar Baby a box of his very own truffles: chocolate, orange, raspberry and caramel. He was in heaven. So much so, that it became an issue. He carried them around the house. He lined them up in the box. Yes, he even slept with them. When they were gone, he started having meltdowns. "We need truffles today!" he yelled. This led to the Great Candy Purge. Yes, believe it or not, we cleared the house of all candy. Mr. Goodbar took it all to work (I couldn't watch-- it was too painful), but for the good of the Sugar Baby's diet, we needed to get him back on track. And now I'm starting off 2010 with a (mostly) candy-free house. (Remember, there's always the nightstand.)

Truffles from England!

You've gotta love it when a friend calls and says, "Hey, I left some candy for you at my sister-in-law's house." This was over a month ago, and it took me until just the other day to get over there to pick up the goods. How is it that life with a 3-year-old can be so busy?
My friend Kristina went to England and brought me back this box of lovely truffles made by Cottage Delight. The flavors are: Dark Chocolate Black Forest, Milk Chocolate Marc de Champagne, Milk Chocolate Rum and White Chocolate Vanilla. Yum!
Now the problem is, the Sugar Baby saw them and he's been obsessed with truffles ever since he saw them in "The Book." Sometimes at night he'll call out "Liqueur-enhanced truffles!" in his sleep. I let him have one, and now he's hooked. He followed me around all day today asking where they were. Yes, dear Yumsters, I've created a monster.

Halloween '09: What Dressing Like a Fly Agaric Mushroom Will Net You

It took me a whole day to recover, but I think it's safe to say that I survived Halloween '09. First stop: Father John's for the difficult decision of which full-size bar to take. (It just occurs to me that Father John looks a lot like Ricky Gervais.)
Actually, the Sugar Baby had no trouble deciding. He went straight for the Almond Joy, which was the same one he picked last year, despite the fact that he has no idea what it is.
I brought Father John a box of Chocorooms; I felt like he needed to experience the sheer bliss of these little delights. I hope he likes them as much as everyone else did.
But check out what he gave me: a box of melt-in-your-mouth truffles from Hauser Chocolatier in Bethel, CT. I mean, seriously, it gets no better than this.
We trick-or-treated around my parents' neighborhood for about an hour (Bazooka Betsy and Uncle Crabby joined us in the fun). I was surprised at how many people offered full-sized bars this year. At first the Sugar Baby was all hesitant to pick a piece of candy, but by the end of the night he was going for the one-two grab.
We've spent the past two days sorting through all the candy, lining them up, mixing and matching. So far he's loved everything he's had. But the most exciting piece to him was the Starlight Mint. "I got a peppermint!" he yelled. This most precious of candies remains uneaten. He simply looks at it.
More details to follow.

Lindt Straccitella: No Matter How You Pronounce It, It's Yummy!

I've recently discovered the joy that is Straccitella. A new gelato place has opened nearby, and I've fallen in love with this traditional cream-and-dark chocolate flavor. I suppose you could compare it to chocolate chip ice cream, but it's just so much better.

At the evil WalMart the other day, I saw a bag of Lindt truffles that included a sample of their new Straccitella flavor, so I had to get it. Even though I'm not big on white chocolate, this is one tasty confection.

It's creamy, milky and sweet with little flecks of nibbly dark chocolate. So good.

I gave the bag of truffles to No-Nuts and told her she should allow me to have one truffle a night. She woke up this morning and said that was a bad idea; she'd already eaten two before breakfast.

Now That's What I'm Talking About!

Take a look at these beauties. These are Kohler Chocolates' Garden Ganache.

They were just featured in the February issue of "O, The Oprah Magazine," which means I could tell you these taste like sawdust and skunk tails and it wouldn't matter one fig, because if Oprah says it's good, well then, by golly, it's good. (Just take a look at our new president.) But for some reason, the kind folks at Kohler sent me some to try. Apparently Oprah's opinion was well-received, but, you know-- they needed the real story from me.

Let me just say, oh yeah. This is some good shizz.

Now, as you know, I'm not usually impressed by truffles. They seem to me to be the candy version of Madonna: all glitz and glimmer, overly-done, and just too much. So I wasn't sure what to expect out of these (although technically they're ganache, which is equal parts chocolate and cream, whereas a truffle has double the chocolate). But let me assure you, dear Yumsters, that these are divine. The shell has a beautiful snap to it. The inside is smooth and creamy and the flavors are subtle and balanced. So far I've tried the raspberry, chai tea, and creme fraiche. All delicious. (I've been gracious enough to split them with Mr. Goodbar who, each night has said, "That's good chocolate.")

The other flavors I still have to try are: coconut, Asian spice, macadamia, passion fruit, Earl Grey, pear and hazelnut coffee.
Their catalog is full of gorgeous photos of their products-- toffee bark, bars, terrapins (their version of turtles), pretzel rods. What can I say? You should check out their website for your valentine. Or better yet, yourself.

Starbucks + Chocolate= Yumtastic Deliciousness

I'm a big fan of the Starbuckery. Yes, yes, I know it's a chain. Yes, I know if I quit my caffeine habit I could save $1.5 million a year. But there's just something comforting about the fact that a) wherever I go in the world, there's bound to be a 'Buckery, and b) I know what to expect. And their decaf Mocha was the only thing I could drink during pregnancy, so it will always hold a fond place in my heart. My only problem with them is that they use Tazo for their teas, and I led a solo boycott against Tazo because one of their reps totally dissed me at a trade show one year (as I was offering him the opportunity to have an article written about their stupid chai; no article for you, loser tea guy). Anyhow! The big news has been that Hershey has teamed up with Starbucks to create a new line of chocolates that will be available in stores and at the coffee shops.
Yesterday, a nice sampling of the chocolates arrived.
Now, I will fully disclose that my sense of taste/smell is still off from the Great Flu of 2008, so I can hardly review them for you. But I'll do the best I can.
The first piece I had was a Dark Chocolate Vanilla Bean Truffle. I had to get my schnozz right in there to get a whiff of the chocolate, but when I finally did, it smelled like good stuff. I thought the inside would be a fluffy vanilla center, but it was actually rather solid. That threw me off. But it was good, and the chocolate itself has a nice snap.
Second piece, Milk Chocolate Chai Truffle. Okay, so I lifted my self-imposed ban for these. First off, they're cute. They're shaped like little upside down teacups. As for the flavor, I must say, I was very impressed. When you hear "chai," sometimes you just get a sprinkling of cinnamon. This, however, had a full array of cinnamon, clove and ginger. Very exotic.
The third piece I had was a Dark Chocolate Espresso Truffle. Frankly, I didn't really think this would wow me; I mean, big deal, chocolate and espresso. But hello! Kapow! This was one super tasty, yumtastic chocolate. I mean, deep, dark, chocolatey, espressoey love!
I stopped myself there, but next up are Milk Chocolate Caffe Mocha Truffles, tasting squares in Milk, Dark, Mocha Dark, Chai Milk, Passion Dark and Citron Dark, as well as Milk Chocolate Covered Coffee Beans.
I really think this is a good thing that Starbucks is doing, because frankly they have the worst pastries ever. And what's a cup of coffee without a little nibble to go with it?

The Remains of the Day

I had all intentions of photographing these lovely chocolates from the Newtown Chocolatier that Sue, my kick-ass, firefighter, garden guru friend had bought me, but alas, it was not to be. I had a bit too much wine the other night and went bezerk on the chocolates so you'll have to imagine what these delicious tidbits looked like. The one remaining chocolate was a delightful peanut butter cup. It was a layer of chocolate, then PB, then more chocolate. Anyhow, as I sat enjoying my chocolates in my buzzed haze, I wrote about it in my journal. Here, the transcript:

My God, what is happening to me? I'm turning into someone I hardly know, a stranger in my own skin. What's brought this about? The box of candy sitting on my nightstand.

Sue stopped by with a bagful of goodies for me yesterday. A box of dark chocolate sticks-- yum; a cone-shaped bag of Swedish butter candies-- yum; and a box of delicious chocolates from the Newtown Chocolatier. Last night I had the passionfruit jelly. Tonight I almost went for the chocolate truffle, but then I realized that the dark rectangle was a caramel and I had to have it. Yes, this is me talking. I HAD to have the caramel.

Me, who traditionally prefers crunch over chew.

Me, who views caramels as the candy of the popular crowd, the athlete, the girl with the Le Sportsac bag and Tretorns. Certainly not the candy of the quiet, shy, slightly-freaky-but-not-in-a-funky way wild-haired girl. No, she eats almond clusters and mint cremes. Definitely not caramels.

So why then did I relish every bite of the chewy, creamy, buttery-burnt caramel? This is a rhetorical question because I don't have an answer.

So, who knows. Maybe it was the wine. Maybe it was the total shift of hormones after having a baby. Maybe it's because I'm in my 30s. All I know is that it was delicious. The next night I tried a chocolate that was so fantabulous, I wanted to weep when it was gone. It was round and prickly looking and was smooth chocolate and crispy-- what? I have no idea what it was. It was almost like those Piroutte cookies crushed up into spiky splinters. Whatever it was, it was delightful. So now I must make a trek out to this store and get some more. Maybe this time I'll even take a picture before I scarf them down.

Viva Las Vegas!

Here's a good reason to go to Las Vegas. (As if the sun, great restaurants and Star Trek Experience weren't enough.)

Apparently this very funky restaurant Vintner Grill (www.vglasvegas.com) offers the only chocolate truffle flight in the country, featuring truffles by Vosges. Check out the menu:

• Olio d’Oliva (olive oil + white chocolate) with potato chips
• Dulce de Leche (Argentinean caramel + cashew + milk chocolate) on a piece of smoked bacon
• Naga (sweet Indian curry + coconut + milk chocolate) and corn nuts
• Absinthe (Chinese star anise + fennel + pastis + dark chocolate) aside Indian fennel seeds.
• Black Pearl (Japanese wasabi + ginger + black sesame seeds + dark chocolate) atop wasabi peas
• The Rooster (taleggio cheese + organic walnuts + vanilla bean + bittersweet dark chocolate) amongst cocoa nibs
  

Now even though my tastes veer toward the more plebian, I have to say that these combos sound intriguing, particularly the Olio d'Oliva and The Rooster. The Dulce de Leche sounds really good, too, although I must admit that the bacon kind of scares me.

And now for a public service announcement from Vosges:

How to Eat a Truffle:

Firstly…read the story. This sets the stage. It allows you to paint the picture through your imagination to conjure up the expectations as to how the chocolate will taste and where you will transcend.

See…there should be a glossy shine to the truffle, this shows a good temper: a tight bond between the cocoa butter and the cacao mass.

Lick…the spice on the top of the truffle; we always like to do this on the spice truffles because it gives a hint of what is to come, a teaser…

Snap… quality chocolate should always be dry to the touch. If the chocolate is stored at idea conditions between 63-65 degrees Fahrenheit when you take a bite you should hear a crisp, snap breaking through the outside to reach the creamy ganache inside.

Taste…we always like to bit the truffle in 2 bites. In the first bite you are just getting to know the truffle and in the second, you delve deeper searching out the flavors and nuances, you become immersed into the experience of the chocolate, you mouth and the sensations. The taste should have a long, lingering, finish that is layered with its perfumed notes.